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Sunday, April 13, 2014

My Answers to Four Questions about My Writing Process

I am very honored to be invited to join the Author's Writing Process Blog Tour! I was tagged by my blog-friend and gracious writer Ana Whiston-Donaldson of An Inch of Gray. (Go back and read her responses to the questions too. You can follow the whole chain!) While I do not consider myself an "author", I have accepted the title "writer" in recent years so I will give it a shot. I have been asked to answer the following four questions...

1-WHAT AM I WORKING ON?

I work from home as a
Freelance Writer and Professional Blogger. I provide business websites with
weekly and twice weekly blog posts in order to draw customers into their online
stores. My freelance writing is bringing in a steady trickle of funds that are
helpful to us in this season. But that is not who I am as a writer and it is
not what this blog tour is all about, is it?

In answer to question
#1, I am working on a short nonfiction inspirational bookabout my journey from a life of
fear and religious legalism to one of freedom and joy. It is about getting out
from under the "church lady" syndrome. No longer structuring my life to fit the "rules"
of what a Christian woman should
look, act and feel like. Each chapter begins with a sweet and/or powerful
encounter with God in my life as He showed me that He is not concerned with what I could dofor
Him. His only concern is that I know how much He loves me….already, without doing one more outreach, Bible study or
missionary trip. My story is all about becoming the real me….the one who knows
she is deeply loved by God.

2 – HOW DOES MY WORK
DIFFER FROM OTHERS OF ITS GENRE?

That is an interesting
question because my WIP (work in progress) can sound like both a memoir and a
devotional, but it does not feel like either to me. I am pretty sure that it
will be set up like a devotional with short chapters that begin with a true
story from my life. Then it will move to my interpretation of what God was
telling me and how the reader can apply it to his or her own life. I want to
end each chapter with a short prayer for the reader possibly.

Since the stories are
true and from my life, it may sound like a memoir, I suppose. But honestly, the
idea of writing a memoir freaks me out, so I do not go there just yet. I want
to talk directly to the reader as if we are having a cup of coffee in my
kitchen. My hope is that every reader will close the book feeling more loved
than when they opened it.

3- WHY DO I WRITE WHAT I
DO?

Honestly, the message of
this book came out of heartbreak as I read blog after blog written by believers
who were sad, confused and hurting while working their butts off to prove their
love for God. They were overwhelmed with ministry jobs and volunteering at the
church and did not recognize that they were working for something they already
had. My message is: There is nothing you can do to make God love you less and there is nothing you can do to make Him
love you more. Stop striving to earn His approval, pleasure or love. You
already have it. Saying, “Yes” to every job at the church is not going to give
you more “points” with God. You are loved just for breathing.

4 – HOW DOES MY WRITING
PROCESS WORK?

Since this is a first time
adventure, I am not super confident about it and therefore I find myself
ignoring my WIP for weeks at a time. If I knew that I was on to
something-really-great in this project, I believe that I would be able to give
myself to it with better discipline and devotion. But the doubts and questions
swirl around my head before and after each writing session.

When I do work on my book,
this is what it has looked like: I re-read all of my personal journals pulling
out the important moments with God over the years. The special times when I
knew that He was speaking to me, or I experienced a life-changing situation. I
have chosen which stories to tell and they are in a file of rough drafts that
need to be rewritten until I am happy with them.

I like to listen to calm
instrumental music on Pandora while I write. I drink lots of water while
writing, and munch on Good & Plenty candy if possible. My dog Layla is
usually curled up beside me here on my couch. She is a sleeper during the day,
so this works for quite a few hours. If I waste this time by doodling around on
social media, I kick myself when later in the day, I am ready to do some
serious writing and by this time she is nudging my hands off the keyboard for
some playtime. (Pretty similar to the way I used to write while my sons were
napping so very many years ago!)

I do love it when I drop
into “the zone” and write my head off without thought of what time it is or how
long I have been tapping the keyboard. I look up, all bleary-eyed and am shocked at
the clock face. LOVE IT! Thankfully, I have an empty nest, so no small children
were neglected or left to fend for themselves while I was in the zone. I have no idea how long it will take me to finish my book but it would be awesome to have it in my hands before this year is over!

I met Wendy online when I went all fangirl on her after reading her delightful book, "Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap". I loved the book so much that I immediately found her website and her Facebook and left comments that included a lot of gushing. I was shocked and thrilled to get a response from her and found out that she is a "normal" human being, just like me! We hit it off and continue to chat back and forth via this lovely thing called the Internet!

I met TJ on Facebook through a Writer's Group that we belong to. She is hilarious and kind and a little bit scary because she enjoys writing about murders and mysterious happenings that involve unicorns and an odd assortment of characters. I am looking forward to reading her answers to these 4 questions about her writing process.

I love your honesty and openness to how God loves you no matter what, who, how much, how many, how often, etc. you know what I mean and I know exactly what you mean, having been there, done that and have the t shirt too. Still muddling through those feelings myself. Can't sit through a church service w/o feeling guilty because I am not involved in every aspect of the church anymore. But God has shown me that He has other work for me to do right now that is just as valuable to Him...just by being me. And YOU have helped me to see that and accept that...so YES< write the book. It is needed. I say go for it! :)

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"Susie is what I call a 'Freedom Writer'. For those who want a fresh take, one that helps them look outside of their box, she brings new perspective that's grounded and inspirational. There is a warmth and humor that's readable...not too sappy. A take on the realities of the Christian life with which many will be able to connect." Karen Winters